About Café Descartes

The Café Descartes Mission

Café Descartes, named after French philosopher Rene Descartes, aims to provide an unparelleled coffee experience. Founded, dedicated and operated on principles of buying, roasting and serving the highest quality Arabica coffees, Café Descartes has been in the coffee roasting and purveying business since 1991. Complementing our products, knowledgeable and friendly baristas enhance the experience by adding their expertise to the production of each drink.

The Founder

Growing up in Pakistan, Arshad ‘Sony’ Javid’s family roasted their own coffee beans. When Sony traveled through Europe, Asia, Central and South America, he stopped at every coffee house he could. It was thus only natural that his first job would be with Starbucks, then a start-up in the industry. Sony eventually ended up in Chicago and opened his first espresso cart on the University of Illinois Chicago campus in 1991.

Sony now has six locations thoughout Chicago including the cafe on Michigan Avenue. Sony is passionate about the coffee industry, and has not only grown up in the industry, but has dedicated his career to the industry.

Café Descartes in the Media

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